Never Would Have Pictured It
by Dracavia
Summary: 34 days after the Battle of New York Tony's world looks very different than it did before, but maybe that's actually a good thing.


**Title**: Never Would Have Pictured It  
**Authour**: Dracavia  
**Avengersfest r****ecipient's name**: Wolfling  
**Rating**: PG  
**Universe**: MCU  
**Pairing/Characters**: Cannon pairings apply. Essentially Tony-centric gen fic, with healthy doses of both Tony & JARVIS banter and team bonding  
**Word Count**: ~3600  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of the Avengers characters, and sadly don't make a dime off any of them or their shenanigans. I'm just trotting them out for the amusement of myself and others (hopefully).  
**Summary**: 34 days after the Battle of New York Tony's world looks very different than it did before, but maybe that's actually a good thing.  
**Warnings**: Don't think there are any really. Endings leading to beginnings, bit of emotional hurt/comfort.  
**Authour's notes:** Written in answer to the following parts of Wolfling's prompt, hope you enjoy: Tony & JARVIS and the bots, gen team bonding, domestic slice of life, discovering/building (sometimes literally in Tony's case) your family, banter, h/c with the emphasis on comfort

* * *

It was like that time after Vanko all over again, except worse because this time when Pepper said she was quitting, she didn't just mean her job. She meant Tony.

Over a month had passed since New York and they'd both tried to go on like nothing had changed, except everything had. Neither of them slept soundly at night and it was a toss-up whether morning would find them clinging to each other or at the far edges of the bed.

So part of Tony was unsurprised when Pepper reached out to touch his arm one morning before they'd left their room.

"Tony, wait. We need to talk."

As with all highly emotional conversations, Tony's first instinct was to stall. "Let's talk over breakfast, it's probably ready by now."

Pepper gave him a _look_ because she knew him, and she knew what he was trying to do. "No, I want to talk to you alone, and they'll be at breakfast."

'They' referred to the other Avengers, minus Thor who was still in Asgard as far as anyone knew. That was probably another one of the things that had led to this conversation, the move.

Tony had developed a rather strong aversion to New York after the battle. He'd found he couldn't relax inside the city limits, and frankly he could do without seeing the penthouse for some time to come.

So when Tony had declared 3 days after the battle that they were moving out to the old mansion in Westchester and they'd commute for work, Pepper hadn't protested. Really she'd been quite happy not to be sleeping only one floor away from the window she knew Tony had been thrown out of. So, yeah, the move was fine. She'd arranged movers in record time, and Tony of course oversaw the transport of Dum-E, U and the rest of his lab personally.

Five days after the battle they were settled in the mansion, except Tony himself was far from settled. Jittery and strung-out would have been a better description. Given he'd just traded one place full of bittersweet memories for another, who could blame him? He'd had another one of his epiphanies then and told Pepper the house was too empty. Rather than filling it up with superfluous staff however, Tony was going to invite Bruce and Steve to come stay for a while. Purportedly so they could get out of SHIELD housing while they figured out what they were going to do with their lives.

Somehow the invitation had spread to Clint and Natasha as well, for at least the duration of the administrative leave they'd been put on while they recovered from the events up to and including New York.

That was how eight days after the battle the mansion that had been mostly empty for decades suddenly had six permanent residents.

It was impressive how quickly they'd fallen into a rhythm. Everyone ate breakfast together because Steve had renewed a childhood love of cooking, and who in their right mind would pass up fresh pancakes, sausages and the like for cold cereal? Even if it did mean always getting to the kitchen for 8:30.

Afterward Pepper would head to her office at the tower. Sometimes Tony would go with her, but mostly he stayed home and holed himself up in his workshop. He'd go down to work by himself, or, as was happening more and more often, Bruce would join him as they worked on one project or another together.

Steve, Clint and Natasha made liberal use of the mansion's home gym, which Tony may or may not have had fitted out with additional equipment with them in mind. Afterward they'd leave the house for at least a few hours to parts unknown. Tony tried not to keep too much of an eye on them, grown adults deserving of their privacy and all, but inevitably everyone was always home for dinner. Because again: Steve's cooking. Seriously, if the guy didn't decide on a day job soon, Tony was going to recommend trying out for the Food Network.

In the evenings, usually they'd all break off again to do their own things in ones or twos, occasionally more. Tony found himself splitting his evenings fairly evenly between the others and time alone in his workshop. To his surprise Tony found that he really wanted to get to know these people he'd come to find himself surrounded with, and with everything he learned the feeling grew rather than diminished.

Mostly Tony didn't even notice how little time he was spending with Pepper compared to before the move, in favour of these new people in his life, and the part that did notice? Well it was just fine with that state of affairs, and Tony didn't really want to stop to analyse it if he could help it.

Except Pepper wanted to talk, and he knew that tone of voice, he wasn't going to get to coast through things any longer.

Turning to face Pepper properly, Tony crossed his arms over his chest in a subconsciously defensive pose. "Alright, what do you want to talk about then?"

Pepper sighed at how stubbornly obtuse he was being. "I can't do this anymore, Tony. I love you, but this...It's too much and not enough all at once, and I think the same can be said for you."

Tony felt his stomach sink. As much as he'd been avoiding dealing with things with Pepper, it had never crossed his mind that he wanted to be anything other than with her. "So what are you saying, exactly?"

"I'm saying I'm done, we're done. We hardly spend any time alone together these days except in bed, and as good as that is, it's not enough. We can't even look each other in the eye half the time when we get up in the morning, Tony, and it's only been getting worse."

"I know my...dreams disturb your sleep sometimes, but they'll pass. They did after Afghanistan, and they will after this. It's just...taking a bit longer." Tony hated talking about this sort of thing, he could never find the right words, and talking about it made it all seem so much more _real_.

"You're not the only ones having dreams, Tony." Pepper shook her head, "I have nightmares just as often as you, and the ones where I do answer your call are just as bad as the ones where I don't. Iron Man's going to be the death of you one of these days, and I can't sit by waiting for it to happen without becoming bitter. I don't want that, I need to step back before what we've had becomes tainted."

Tony's voice took on a hard edge as he said, "So it's you or Iron Man, is that what you're saying here?"

Pepper gave him a sad little smile. "No, it's just Iron Man, because you need him more than you need me. And Iron Man isn't just a suit and a mission anymore." She gestured toward the rest of the house, "You have them. I've never seen you take to someone in the way you've taken to them, in the way they've taken to you. You went through something together in New York that most people could never understand, and it shows. You don't need me anymore, Tony. We're both just clutching at the past and it's not healthy."

In her voice Tony could hear her certainty, knew her mind was made up. This wasn't a discussion about where their relationship was headed, this was her ending it and saying her goodbyes.

"Where does it go from here then? We can't just go back to what we were two years ago, even I know that."

"You're right, we can't. I'll stay long enough to make as smooth of a transition as possible for my replacement." She pulled an envelope from her bag and held it out to him.

"What's this?" he asked, even though he could guess.

"My resignation letter, I thought it best to do this by the books."

"You really are leaving the company then, not just me."

"I think it's for the best, a clean break."

"And I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this." Tony looked from the envelope in his hand to her determined face.

"No you won't, nor should you try. It's what's best for both of us. My bags are already packed, so I'm just going to take them with me this morning. I'll go to a hotel after work until I figure out something more permanent. I'll make arrangements for my things in Malibu as well."

"Pick somewhere nice and charge the hotel to my personal account. Take...take as long as you need." Tony's throat felt tight, but he wasn't going to try to fight her on this, everything she'd said was true.

Things between them had changed 34 days ago, changed when the Avengers faced down an alien invasion together. When he'd nearly died to save the people of Manhattan. When he'd called Pepper to say his goodbyes and she'd never picked up. When he'd nearly put her in the position of having to listen to the man she loved die. He still loved her, but she was right, sometimes love wasn't enough. Sometimes you couldn't hold onto the thing you loved without destroying it.

"I will, thank you," she said softly and stepped closer. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry things are ending this way."

"Me too," Tony said, "but I suppose it's better than the alternative."

"Yes. I don't want to hate you."

Tony would never be certain whether it was him or Pepper that closed that last bit of distance between them, maybe it was both, but their lips met and the kiss was slow and soft. It was goodbye.

When they pulled away, Pepper said, "I'll ask Happy to come get me early, get some breakfast on the way to the office. You should go join the others."

"Yeah...Goodbye Pepper."

She gave him another of those sad smiles, "Goodbye Tony."

He left the room, but he didn't head for the kitchen. The tightness in his chest, the thoughts whirling in his mind, he knew exactly where he needed to go and it wasn't the kitchen.

* * *

A loud knock on the glass door at the entrance to the garage broke through the cloud of AC/CD Tony had playing, enough to draw his attention away from the car engine he was currently rebuilding with Dum-E and U's help. Looking over he saw Bruce standing there with a pizza box and a brown paper bag. The scientist quirked a brow at him and gestured to the door impatiently.

"JARVIS, you traitor. How did he know I was down here?"

"You have been absent from the mansion at large since waking 7 hours ago, sir. As you did not specifically order me to keep your location a secret, I saw no reason not to answer truthfully when the good doctor inquired after you," was the AI's matter-of-fact reply.

"And just what did you tell him?"

"That you have been in the garage since leaving your room this morning." There was a pause before JARVIS continued in what Tony liked to call his 'mother hen' tone, "And that you had yet to consume anything other than blueberries, scotch and water."

Tony sighed, "I'm fine, JARVIS."

"I respectfully disagree, sir. May I let Dr. Banner in now? It would be a shame to let fresh pizza go cold."

"You know I like it better that way."

"The door, sir?" JARVIS refused to acknowledge Tony's protest.

"Yeah, yeah, go on then. Turn the music down by 50% while you're at it I suppose."

"Very good, sir," JARVIS said and the music lowered as the door unlocked and Bruce stepped inside.

"When JARVIS said you'd missed both breakfast and lunch, I wasn't sure which you'd rather have, so I got both." Bruce carried his offerings over towards the nearest work bench.

"Do I smell fresh donuts and...barbeque chicken?" Tony's stomach grumbled at the smells, which were oddly enticing even blended together.

"You do, I got a barbeque pizza, and the doughnut place was pulling a fresh batch out of the fryer just as I got there." Bruce gave him an amused grin. "I may or may not have had someone call ahead and inform them there would be a generous tip involved if they were doing so."

"JARVIS, just how much did you promise them?"

"Pocket change to you, sir."

"Can you ever give me a straight answer to a question?"

"Ask me one that deserves such an answer, sir."

"Such sass! Do you hear this Bruce? I get no respect, even from my own AI."

"Well you are the one that programmed him," Bruce said with a chuckle.

"Quite right," was JARVIS' pithy rejoinder.

Bruce was leaning back against the workbench with a piece of pizza already in hand by the time Tony extracted himself from the maze of engine pieces he had spread out around himself on the floor. Tony grabbed both a slice of pizza and one of the donuts and took a bite from each. The taste lived up to the smell. Somehow the two complimented each other, maybe because of the sweet barbeque sauce? Tony's mind ran off along a tangent of pizza made with a doughnut base as he took a few more bites, before he finally noticed the rather grossed out look on Bruce's face.

Tony swallowed and quirked a brow, "What?"

"You are _so_ strange sometimes."

"How is this different from every other day of the week?" Tony asked and this time he laid the remaining half of his doughnut right on the pizza, wrapping it around before taking another bite with a grin.

"Because usually it involves science or engineering, and _I_ at least don't think it's entirely strange." Bruce pointed at the abomination that Tony was eating, "That, however, defies even me."

"Hey, you're the one that brought them. Really, you should give it a try, it's pretty damn tasty."

"I'll pass, thanks," Bruce said dryly.

"Your loss," Tony said and gave a shrug. "So, was this just a food run, or...?"

"I didn't need your help on anything, no." He looked at Tony almost hesitantly now, "I thought maybe you'd like some company with whatever you were working on."

"JARVIS!" Tony barked, "I thought you said you only told him where I was."

"I did, sir," JARVIS retorted indignantly. "The only lies I ever tell you are ones of omission."

"How comforting," Tony muttered.

"He didn't tell me anything, Tony. I saw Pepper leaving this morning, with more packed bags than a short business trip would warrant. Then you weren't around anywhere, and well...one plus one and all that."

"Pepper broke up with me and is leaving the company as well. I don't need to talk about it or any of that shit though. I'm _fine_, really."

The way his voice broke just a bit as he said 'fine', even Tony wasn't sure he believed himself. Bruce didn't jump on it or push though, he just gave Tony an understanding look and picked up a new slice of pizza. "I never said you weren't, I just asked if you wanted help on your project." He looked over at the dismantled car. "I've never actually worked on a car. Except you know, basic maintenance on whatever banger I happened to have to get around with."

"_That_ is not 'a car'," Tony said, voice appalled as he eagerly took up the change in topic. "That is a 1964½ Mustang, it is a work of _art_."

Bruce gave a small laugh. "So should I take it to mean you don't want my inexperienced hands anywhere near it?"

Tony took a moment to consider. Normally he didn't want any company when he was working on his cars, but Bruce seemed genuinely curious, not just asking for the sake of smothering Tony in well-meaning concern. Add to that the fact that his mood was definitely less tense than it was before Bruce walked in, and well..."Nah, just means you better pay attention to what I show you. Also, no pizza grease on this baby, you wash your hands thoroughly before we touch anything," Tony commanded.

"I'll treat it with the same care I would one of my experiments," Bruce said and grinned.

"That'll do." With a smile Tony grabbed another doughnut and slice, seemed like he'd found a new favourite snack for the time being.

* * *

Three hours later both Tony and Bruce were elbow deep in motor grease, when once more Tony's music was interrupted, this time by a full out pounding on the door. When the pair of mad scientists didn't immediately look over, the pounding came again and louder.

"Sirs, might I suggest someone responds to Agent Barton before he breaks the glass?"

"That's ballistic glass, JARVIS, there's no way Clint's breaking it without one of his arrows."

Bruce looked at Tony over the top of his glasses, "Would you really put it past him to use one if you keep ignoring him?"

"...Good point. Right, JARVIS, let him in."

The door opened and Clint walked in, pulling a face at the loud music. "Geez, no wonder you couldn't hear me knocking with that shit on so loud."

"Classic Metallica is not shit." Tony pointed his wrench at Clint, "What would you have me listen to, _Springsteen_?" His lip curled in distaste.

"Do _not_ diss The Boss." The assassin crossed his arms as he stared Tony down.

"And if I do?" Tony couldn't help but taunt.

"I'll kick your ass all over the gym." He smirked at the engineer, "You need to learn more fighting skills that don't rely on your toys anyway."

"Those toys have saved your ass more than once, fly-boy," Tony said with a smirk of his own.

"Never said they hadn't, just that I can kick your ass without anything but my own bare hands."

"Bring it on," Tony said confidently.

Bruce broke in before the brotherly banter could escalate. "Right, before you two really get to the 'lay it on the table and measure' stage, mind telling us what you came down here for in the first place, Clint?"

"Oh, right. Yeah, dinner's just about ready. Steve made lasagna and garlic bread, didn't think either of you would want to miss it."

Looking over at the clock, Bruce was surprised to see it was already past 6. "I hadn't realised it was that late."

"No, we figured neither of you had. So, dinner?"

"We were nearly done with this anyway." Tony wiped some of the grease from his hands off on a rag. "Be up in 10?"

"Yeah, that should be fine. See you up there."

Twenty minutes later the five of them were all seated around the table and starting in on their dinner. No-one had to be told not to mention Pepper's absence, just continuing on like any other day. It was a pleasant surprise just how not awkward it was.

Only two bites in, Tony looked over at Steve. "Seriously man, you missed your calling. I'll get someone at the Food Network on the line, just say the word. You could be the next Naked Chef, you'd have a horde of middle-aged housewives lined up to see that."

"You know that name referred to the style of food cooked on that show, not to the chef actually being naked," Natasha pointed out dryly.

"Clearly they had the wrong chef for that then. They'll change their minds when they see Steve." Tony grinned as Steve blushed at his implications.

"I'm never sure when to take you seriously."

Plastering an overly sincere look on his face, Tony put another bite of lasagna on his fork. "When it comes to your food I'm as serious as a heart-attack," he said and ate the bite with a moan for effect.

A balled up napkin hit Tony in the head. "Seriously man, save that shit for the bedroom."

Tony eyed Clint speculatively, "You, me and a lasagna. Bit messier than my usual fare, but I think I could make it work."

"Ugh, you can turn anything into a come-on."

"Is that a challenge?" Yeah, Tony and Clint definitely had a brotherly harassment thing going on, but it worked for them.

"So, we'll be picking from the Michael Bay collection for tonight's movie then," Natasha said conversationally to Bruce.

"Goes with the general 12-year-old mood of the table, so I'd say yeah."

That caught Tony's attention, "Tonight's movie?"

"Yes, we thought we'd do a group movie night. I even picked up proper popcorn and Steve said he'd do it up on the stove."

"Well if we're going Michael Bay then it'll have to be Bad Boys II. Comedy and explosions at their best combination."

"I'm guessing that's a sequel?" Steve asked.

Tony blinked at him in incomprehension for a moment. "Right, this man needs to be educated. Double feature people."

"I'm down with that." Everyone else echoed Clint's sentiment and it was settled.

Later that evening Tony found himself between Steve and Bruce on the couch, a bowl of popcorn in his lap. As Clint queued up the first movie Tony couldn't help but reflect that before New York he never would have pictured himself in this place, with these people, and certainly not without Pepper. He never would have pictured it, but given how right it felt maybe it was just where he belonged after all.


End file.
